Chinese Head Tax Monument Unveiling

Sunday, June 26th, we were at the unveiling of the Chinese Head Tax Monument in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.

The development of the monument is documented in the following websites.

http://www.westmanchinese.com/monument/

http://www.ccnc.ca/redress/history.html

The original idea for the monument was the idea of Kenny, Rebecca, and daughter Cindy who is an architect and Bill and Sue-On Hillman.

Velda's Uncle Soo Choy had to pay the tax and was separated from his family until 1947.

The ceremony was attended by an estimated 250 people.

Including Merv Tweed, Canadian federal government and Drew Caldwell, provincial government.

Drew Caldwell, Kenny, and Merv Teed

local leaders, and the sculptor and his family.

Mayor Shari Decter-Hirst, Velda, Parks Commissioner,

and sculptor Peter Sawatzky

It was paid by the Choy and Hillman families, donations and a grant from government. They still welcome donations to pay for the monument. Tom and Mary Vaughan (Velda's sister and husband) and Velda and I donated so we can honor the significance of the monument idea and also get Mom and Dad's name on the plaque. Last line on the bottom.

The MC for the ceremony was Sue-On.

There was traditional Chinese music.

There was food and tea...

The event was documented by a local Chinese painter.

And the weather cooperated... it turned out to be a beautiful ceremony.

Time of Remembrance

Sunday, Velda and I went to the Brandon Municipal Cemetery with the Choy family to participate in the Ching Ming tradition to remember their parents and their ancestors.

Rebecca and Kenny did the ceremony with flowers, pouring wine, food, and incense. They had the burning of the 'money'. They started with the elders to the youngest.

Velda and I were surprised that we were in the elder group. Even the youngest was invited.

Then we took family pictures. Kenny and Rebecca Choy Family.

Bill and Sue-On Hillman Family

More on Choy Reunion

The day started with Sue-On teaching Velda how to make BBQ Pork Hom-Bows and Shui-Mai.

Velda was a quick learner with Sue-On's great guiding skills.

Then we get to eat the wonderful creations along with Hot and Sour Soup and bamboo leaf wrapped rice dumplings for lunch.

For dinner, we head over to Cousin Kenny and Rebecca's for dinner.

There were 24 of us all ready to chow down again.

We had super tender spare ribs made by Sue-On's future son-in -law Ryan; Bill and Sue-On treated us all to special bison steaks, chicken, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus bunches; two Strawberry Rhubarb Meringue desserts by Ron and Velda; and Rebecca made cucumber salad, macaroni salad, Grape Pie and the famous Soo Choy banana cream pie. There was a wide assortment of Canadian beer and wine to satisfy the thirsty eaters.

Prior to one of the big Thunderstorms we had on Saturday, we got to see Cousin Kenny and Rebecca's flower garden. They won the 2010 Brandon Garden of the year.

Choy Family Reunion

Velda and I arrived in Brandon, MB for a Choy family reunion on Thursday evening. We went to Bill and Sue-On's house to meet the family. Sue-On is Velda's cousin on her mother's side.

Since the recent floods 2 months ago, the mosquitoes in Western Manitoba are large in number, steroid size, and very hungry!

We met with Sue-Sem, Kenny and his wife Rebecca, and Sue-On and her husband Bill for a fantastic prime rib dinner, Yorkshire pudding and salads at Bill and Sue-On's house. Rebecca made a Chinese napa cabbage salad and refreshing key lime pie.

Sue-On, Velda and Bill

The Choy family compared notes and reminisced about things in common. They helped each other remember or fill in the blanks. Laughed over Chinese proverb and memories of China and their arrival into Canada.

Kenny, Rebecca, and Sue-Sem

Rebecca, Sue-Sem, & Sue-On

On Friday afternoon, we drove to Newdale (about 80 km north of Brandon). Newdale is a very small town. Uncle Soo Choy had his Chinese restaurant - Paris Cafe. It was closed in the 70's and it had been open for about 40 years at that location. The building is still standing however the house which was about 2 blocks away had been tore down.

They did not have indoor plumbing and the out-house was still standing. They had to haul water from the town well when the water level was low.

Velda's grandfather owned a three story hotel and pub at the end of the block just up from the cafe. It is no longer there. It was located on the on the left hand in the picture. Velda didn't know Grandpa ever lived outside of China.

Then we drove to Bill and Sue-On's farm, established in 1878 on 320 acres. The Hillman homestead is located near Strathclair about 16 km west of Newdale.

Then we drove up to Clear Lake (about 70 km north of Strathclair and 100 km north Brandon). It is a beautiful lake, English gardens and resort area.

We also had a little ice cream cone for an afternoon refreshment.

A full fun day with family.

Our Little Ham

Sometimes James can be a real ham...

Whether eating...

Playing...

Or just hanging around with Grandpa

And Po Po

Springtime in the Garden

It is spring time in Velda's many gardens. Velda's very many and wide variety of plants are coming back to life after winter. I know where she is all day. It is so hard to choose which plants and pictures to include in this post.

The rhododendrons flowers are pretty much gone.

However other flowers are opening up-Picotee lilacs, snowball plant,

Snowball Plant

Some of her many Irises-starts came from Grandma Minnie's yard

Some of her many Hostas-Chris gave her this one for her birthday.

Great Expectations Hosta and pulmonaria

Variegated hosta Chris gave Velda from New Jersey

Old broken wheelbarrow filled with sedums... We wore that wheelbarrow out and as soon as it was parked, it filled up with plants.

As well as a broken pot in another garden... With moss from Scott and Allison's yard.

And her Asian garden is coming back to life...

In the fern garden, the gray Japanese painted fern near the stump, came from Scott and Allison's.

As you can see, this is one of her newer and larger gardens... Velda's sitting on the dead tree that fell down from the spring storm.

With all varieties and sizes of plants. I am looking for one of her favorite garden tools that she laid down while moving some of her plants and forgot where she placed it.

Chinese impatiens with an old wagon rim we found when clearing the land.

As well as her wide variety of Japanese Maples...

Showing one of the unique maples she got from her friend Steve

Rock sculpture idea Velda got from her friend Steve the sculptor

This is a bench that our neighbor friend Reid made for her to rest after his wife told him that Velda and her (Marlene) needed a place to sit when they are both working in the yard. The new bench magically appeared in a a few days! Don't you just love that man!

The bench is near the garden which she refers to as the community garden, which she and Marlene have developed on Reid and Marlene's property...

With a trail leading from Marlene's lawn to Velda's..

And you can see Velda in the distance, planning something new for her gardens...

There is little wonder why she has problems with her knees and hands... But she continues to dig, move and plant. I worry when she goes garden shopping with friends.